International audience

Abstract: Hans Zulliger’s three-card inkblot test was created in the 1940s to function as a short-form of Rorschach’s inkblot method. Despite having been continually published and used, the Zulliger has undergone less stringent research than the Rorschach. We administered both tests to 101 psychiatric outpatients using the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) as the basis for administration and coding, to investigate the Zulliger Test’s convergent validity and utility of assessment. In this study, we focused on Complexity and Simplicity, as these constructs represent a fundamental dimension of Rorschach data. We conducted a principal component analysis on 13 variables from both tests to compare their underlying structure. To assess linear correspondence and between-method agreement, we analyzed Complexity (as standard scores) and F%, along with two study-derived proportion variables: Fluency (R/per card) and Density (Complexity per response). We employed scatterplots with Loess smoothing, Pearson correlations, t tests, predictive performance metrics, and Bland–Altman analyses for these four variables. The underlying structure of R-PAS and Zulliger data showed convergence, confirming our hypothesis that data from the two tests are generated in a comparable manner. Further, we found that Zulliger provides unbiased measures of Complexity, F%, Fluency, and Density. However, Bland–Altman analyses revealed wide limits of agreement for Complexity and F%, indicating potential limitations in clinical utility at the individual level. Predictive performance metrics showed satisfactory specificity and negative predictive values (NPV), but sensitivity and positive predictive values (PPV) varied widely and were poor at some thresholds. Overall accuracy ranged from 71% to 85%, suggesting moderate to strong agreement between R-PAS and Zulliger scores.

Modern higher education is focused on developing competencies for future professional careers. Project-based learning serves as an e ective method for simultaneously cultivating both hard and soft skills. This study aims to identify the speci c structure of psychological resources among students with varying levels of e ectiveness in project-based activities. The research design involved three stages over one semester: task de nition, project presentation, and project evaluation. Student performance was assessed on a 100-point scale. A comprehensive set of psychodiagnostic tools was employed, including the PSM-25 scale, the Life Stressfulness Questionnaire, V. M. Rusalov’s Structure of Temperament Questionnaire, the “Typology of Personal Life Path Choice” methodology, and the Rorschach test. The sample consisted of 139 students, divided into three groups based on performance level (low, medium, high). The results reveal that each group is characterized by a distinct structure of psychological resources. Low-performing students exhibit a disconnect between their e ectiveness and personal resources; medium-performing students show a contrast between these factors; whereas high-performing students demonstrate an integration of e ectiveness with personal productivity, cognitive exibility, and a reliance on standards.

The allegation by a child victim of sexual abuse is, in many cases, the most important evidence of wrongdoing, especially in absence of medical or physical evidence or confes- sions of guilt. The Rorschach inkblot test is a projective personality assessment technique used to evaluate child witnesses. We report a case of three girls allegedly abused by the father, in which the psychometric evaluation with the Rorschach test did not give credibility to the testimony of the chil- dren. When interrogating a minor, it is very difficult to distinguish between a true and a lie. Indeed, many different elements can affect the dialogue, such as the child’s age, the events being discussed, interrogation environment, factors linked to the interviewer, etc. Therefore, it is possible errors of evaluation, misunderstandings or confusion happen fre- quently. The aim of this case report is to highlight that employment of methodologies and criteria recognised by the scientific community could simplify the acquisition and assessment of information from a minor.

This paper examines the intricate relationship between perception and illusion, emphasizing that human perception is a constructed, interpretative process shaped by sensory input, attention, and prior knowledge. It categorizes optical illusions into physical, physiological, and cognitive types, examining how perceptual hypotheses interact with sensory data and memory. Tracing the evolution of illusions from philosophical and artistic traditions to scientific investigation, the paper highlights how Renaissance innovations in perspective and chiaroscuro, alongside Gestalt psychology and neuroaesthetics, have expanded our understanding of visual perception. Art techniques such as linear perspective, trompe l'œil, and chiaroscuro demonstrate how illusions can create immersive visual experiences. Interdisciplinary insights from art, psychology, and neuroscience reveal the complexity of visual processing. Case studies such as the Rorschach test demonstrate how individuals impose meaning on ambiguous stimuli, revealing insights into both conscious and unconscious cognitive processes. Additionally, research on visual indeterminacy, the Default Mode Network, and non-invasive brain stimulation provides a comprehensive perspective on the neural dynamics underlying perception. Clinical applications of optical illusions are also explored, particularly for the identification and assessment of perceptual and cognitive disorders. In conclusion, the paper argues that illusions challenge and refine our understanding of reality, underscoring the cognitive and interpretative nature of human perception. It advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration as essential to deepening our appreciation of the complex mechanisms underlying visual experience.

Abstract: This pilot study investigated differences in Rorschach responses between incarcerated perpetrators of violence and victims of aggression, focusing on indicators of aggressive content (AGC) and aggressive movement (AGM). The research aimed to contribute to understanding patterns of aggressive imagery in victims and perpetrators by analyzing verbalization subtleties and their associations with trauma, impulsivity, and past experiences. In the first study, four judges experienced in the Rorschach Test evaluated the protocols of victims and perpetrators of violence, identifying and justifying which responses belonged to each group. The results showed notable differences between the groups. The interrater reliability coefficient among the judges in Study 1 was 0.75, classified as excellent. In the second study, qualitative analyses were conducted. In this study, victims tended to present AGC responses marked by drama, fear, and disgust, while perpetrators often produced AGC linked to power, strength, and anger. Perpetrators also showed attempts to suppress content that clearly reflected aggressiveness. This study is relevant as it addresses a gap in the literature by comparing the content and verbalizations of victims and perpetrators using the Rorschach in the R-PAS system, offering meaningful insights into psychological functioning and supporting future research with larger, more diverse samples.

This quasi-experimental controlled trial investigates the role of attachment patterns and the quality of mentalization in women exposed to domestic violence, with the aim of identifying protective and risk factors related to coercive control in intimate relationships. The Relationship Scale Questionnaire, the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, and the Rorschach Inkblot Test were administered to 80 women divided into three groups: women victims of chronic domestic violence, women victims of a single episode of domestic violence (WVSEDV), and a control group of women who never experienced domestic violence. Sample comparisons and univariate descriptive analyses were conducted. Women victims of chronic domestic violence predominantly showed disorganized attachment styles (p < .001) and hypomentalization (80%; p < .001). WVSEDV presented a higher proportion of secure attachment styles (48%; p < .001) alongside a notable proportion of avoidant attachment styles (36%) and hypermentalization profiles (52%). No significant differences were found between the WVSEDV and women who never experienced domestic violence groups regarding attachment and mentalization dimensions. These findings indicate that it could be valuable to explore, through targeted research, whether promoting attachment security and mentalization abilities within psychotherapy might enhance the effectiveness of support for victims. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Religious leaders occupy unique spaces as heads of communities who both provide care and support but also help face and navigate conflict within and outside of these congregations. Conflicts are becoming increasingly heightened as the world continues to polarize across various divides. Both psychology and theology have named humility as a virtue that may be helpful for religious leaders placed in complicated situations. Additionally, intellectual humility and differentiation of self (i.e., emotion regulation and capacity for boundaried relationships with others) have garnered attention as a possible critical virtue for religious leaders. These virtues may especially be critical in emerging religious leaders whose formation is still in progress. Therefore, in this study, emerging religious leaders undergoing psychological assessments for ordination were examined. Self-report measures of general and intellectual humility and differentiation of self were considered alongside performance-based assessments of personality structures (i.e., Rorschach inkblot test). Results indicated that interpersonal guardedness (V-Comp; vigilance to social threats) on the Rorschach was negatively associated with humility, with the relationship being mediated through differentiation and contingent self-esteem (self-esteem that is reliant on external validation). Another subscale, Si1 (space integration; complex thinking where various factors are considered and integrated together), was negatively associated with intellectual humility, which was moderated by differentiation. Implications on the role of differentiation on general and intellectual humility and existing personality structures are considered and discussed.

Creativity involves the generation of novel ideas that are original and unique. It is a subjective process, and few studies are available in support of objective measures. Available tests of creativity are limited to questions related to an individual's trait and subjective responses. Though creativity is a divergent construct, an objective approach to computing and marking one as creative is required. This is so because creativity is an important factor for success, and a subjective approach would bring bias. The present study aims to develop a creativity score using the Rorschach Inkblot Test (RIBT) and then test it with eye-tracking technology. Thirty-four university students were recruited for the study using a purposive sampling technique. RIBT cards were shown on a computer screen with an eye tracker mounted on it. Their responses were recorded and analysed to develop a novel construct of the Creativity measure. The Creativity score is then divided into high, medium and low creativity using the k-means clustering algorithm. Eye parameters of fixations, saccades and pupil diameter were explored for each group. ANOVA revealed significant differences between the three groups. In the high-creativity group, fixation count, variations in pupil diameter and total saccadic duration were higher than their counterparts. Mean fixation duration was highest for the low-creativity group. The results indicated that using unstructured blots with Eye-tracking technology helps assess creativity objectively, further broadening avenues to measure creativity.

Pope Leo XIV: A Political Rorschach Test?

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is a maladaptive coping mechanism frequently observed among university students as a response to unregulated emotional distress, without suicidal intent. This case study aims to describe the psychological dynamics and assess the effectiveness of a cognitive-based intervention in helping a student manage NSSI within the context of higher education. The participant was a 27-year-old female with a history of self-harming behavior since her undergraduate years. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and psychological assessments using the WBIS, Rorschach Inkblot Test, projective drawing tests, and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS). The assessment revealed unresolved emotional conflict, unmet social affiliation needs, and difficulties in emotional expression. Contributing factors included an authoritarian parenting style, limited emotional involvement from the father, and ongoing academic and social stressors. The intervention was delivered over six counseling sessions using a cognitive approach combined with emotional regulation education and assertiveness training. The results indicated a reduction in self-harm urges, improvement in emotional regulation skills, and the development of more adaptive coping strategies. These findings support the effectiveness of cognitive-based interventions in educational settings for addressing NSSI rooted in emotional conflict and poor emotional expression, highlighting the importance of integrating such strategies into mental health services on university campuses.

Background and Objectives: Patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) present similar symptoms as other diseases, such as dementia (AD). However, while dementia is not reversible, INPH dementia can be treated through neurosurgery. This study aims to assess the Rorschach method as a valid tool to identify INPH patients. Materials and Methods: The perception characteristics of a small sample of patients (n = 19) were observed through the Rorschach Inblok test. Artificial neural network (ANN) models allowed us to analyze the correlations between patients' cognitive functions and perception characteristics. Results: The results obtained revealed significant insights about the independent traits in patients' patterns of response with INPH and AD. In performing the test, patients with INPH and AD concentrated more on the cards displayed and what they perceived, while other patients concentrated on reactions related to the image proposed. Conclusions: The Rorschach test is a valid predictor tool to identify INPH patients who could successfully be treated with neurosurgery. Hence, this methodology has potential in differential diagnosis applied to a clinical context.

Eye movements (EMs) offer valuable insights into cognitive and perceptual processes, serving as potential biomarkers for disordered thinking. This study explores the relationship between EM indices and perception and thinking problems in the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS). Sixty non-clinical participants underwent eye-tracking while completing the Rorschach test, focusing on variables from the Perception and Thinking Problems Domain (e.g., WSumCog, SevCog, FQo%). The results reveal that increased cognitive disturbances were associated with greater exploratory activity but reduced processing efficiency. Regression analyses highlighted the strong predictive role of cognitive variables (e.g., WSumCog) over perceptual ones (e.g., FQo%). Minimal overlap was observed between performance-based (R-PAS) and self-report measures (BSI), underscoring the need for multi-method approaches. The findings suggest that EM patterns could serve as biomarkers for early detection and intervention, offering a foundation for future research on psychotic-spectrum processes in clinical and non-clinical populations.

This article reflects on artworks that Colette Lotz produced for the Stairways and Ruins exhibition. The article is structured along the lines of pre-production, production, and post-production as the practice-led methodological approach. The works were made using photographs of clouds and other structures taken by the artist and main author,1 and rendered digitally into symmetrical reflections. Thus, sacred spaces were created - the works predominantly show skyscapes and are therefore "celestial". Because of this structuring of the works, the imagery becomes abstract and otherworldly, appearing like Rorschach Inkblot tests. We relate the works to sacred spaces as storyworlds. The term storyworld stresses the constructive and imaginative nature of the works.

Cerebral atrophy is often linked to cognitive and behavioural decline, but its coexistence with psychiatric conditions such as substance use disorder and depression remains underexplored, particularly in the Indian context. This case describes a 33-year-old male with long-standing alcohol and tobacco dependence, partial cerebral atrophy and comorbid moderate depressive episode. The patient presented with low mood, hopelessness, fatigue, reduced concentration and sleep disturbance. Neuropsychological assessment using the PGI-BBD revealed deficits in the working memory, visuospatial skills and executive functioning. The Rorschach Inkblot Test indicated impaired coping and negative self-perception, while the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of 18 reflected moderate depression. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test indicated a need for intensive intervention. Treatment included pharmacotherapy, psychoeducation, motivation enhancement and interpersonal therapy. This case was examined to explore how structural brain changes, specifically partial cerebral atrophy, interact with substance dependence and depressive symptoms to influence cognitive and emotional functioning.

Introduction: The objectification of the body today increases psychological pressure on women through the visual culture of the urban concept of self-knowledge. Modern research indicates that the urban environment contributes to the fragmentation of female identity.Methods: The paper uses a phenomenological approach based on the methodology of Hubertus van Manen, implementing in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 women aged 25–45. The data were processed using MaxQDA.Results: The results indicated an increase in self-esteem due to aesthetic interventions. At the same time, most respondents demonstrated the development of internal conflict, dependence on appearance and a sense of duality. The main psycho-emotional consequences were social pressure, cognitive dissonance and weakening of bodily boundaries. The results of the Rorschach test revealed a reduced ability to symbolize and emotional vulnerability.Conclusions: Thus, aesthetic interventions radically change women's self-perception. They form new identity strategies. At the same time, this is accompanied by increased emotional instability. To maintain the integrity of self-perception, there is a need for psychological support for women after interventions.

&lt;p&gt;The article is devoted to the analysis of the only surviving protocol of the Rorschach test, which was conducted by A.R. Luria as part of aphasia research. The study, performed in 1933, was aimed at investigating the role of speech in behavior in patients with organic brain lesions. Patient Avt. suffered from amnestic aphasia, unilateral hemianopsia, and disorders of the cognitive and emotional spheres associated with the late stage of neurosyphilis. A.R. Luria made a detailed individual plan of examination of Avt. and used the Rorschach test cards to reveal the patient's ability for voluntary speech and analysis of visual images. The article presents a transcription and modern interpretation of Auth's protocol, which demonstrates the peculiarities of the patient's perception and thinking: fragmentary images, difficulties in integrating visual stimuli, internal speech disorders, as well as reliance on autobiographical memories and a tendency to &amp;ldquo;self-recognition&amp;rdquo;. Hemianopsia hampered the perception of symmetrical Rorschach patches, and cognitive impairment limited the ability to think coherently and form coherent images. Nevertheless, individual patient responses indicated that basic perception was preserved, which was analyzed in detail. The analysis revealed increased anxiety, dysphoria, and hypochondria in Auth's responses. The final part of the article discusses subsequent references to the Rorschach test in A.R. Luria's works and his negative attitude toward using this technique in neuropsychology, given its greater suitability for analyzing the emotional and personal sphere.&lt;/p&gt;

Recently, with the emergence of female-related crimes such as unfamiliar murders, attention has been drawn to female crimes with completely different mechanisms than in the past. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the relationship between aggression, one of the various characteristics of female psychopaths, in order to explain violent crimes by female psychopaths. This study was conducted based on the results of comparative studies between the aggressiveness scores of the Rorschach test and the PCL-R factors, along with the aggressiveness-related characteristics of the PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised) that have been empirically studied overseas. As a method for explaining the aggressiveness of female psychopaths, comparative studies between psychopathic women and non-psychopathic women, and comparative studies between male psychopaths and female psychopaths were analyzed. The policy implications derived from this study are as follows. First, since the emotional psychopathy characteristics of women are related to physical aggression, active research on female aggression should be conducted in relation to violent crimes that have mainly focused on men. Second, in the case of female psychopaths, when the Aggressive Past (AgPast) response score is high in the Rorschach test, it functions as a cognitive device that identifies with the victim and rationalizes their aggressive behavior (since they are victims, they have the right to take away from others), which is an important clue for their treatment and prevention. Third, in the case of women who have been physically abused throughout their lives, it affects their ability to control their emotions, and since it is linked to emotional psychopathy, the risk of violence is the highest, so special policy considerations are needed for preventing and eradicating abuse.

This article examines the roles and applications of various types of psychological tests in personality assessment, particularly contrasting projective tests with objective tests. Psychological tests are not intended to determine pass or fail outcomes, but rather to gain a deep understanding of an individual’s psychological aspects. Projective tests, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), are utilized to reveal latent personality traits through ambiguous stimuli. In contrast, objective tests like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) are designed to produce consistent and quantifiable data. This study employed a library research method, reviewing both primary and secondary sources to provide a comprehensive overview. In counseling practice, the choice of psychological test depends on the assessment goals and the client's conditions. The article emphasizes the necessity for professional competence and ethical considerations, including cultural sensitivity and the ability to accurately interpret test results.

Abstract: The Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIM) involves intricate cognitive and emotional processes, necessitating empirical validation of its mechanisms. This study reanalyzed data from two prior investigations to explore cognitive processes associated with Rorschach responses, specifically within the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS). Study 1 ( Suzuki, 2015 ) employed Go/No-Go tasks with facial expression stimuli to examine response inhibition and neural activity, while Study 2 ( Matsuda, 2018 ) utilized a word–face Stroop task (WFST) to assess attentional control in relation to chromatic color responses. Rorschach protocols (Study 1: n = 26; Study 2: n = 36) were recoded using R-PAS criteria and correlated with cognitive task performance and event-related potentials (ERPs). Results revealed that while chromatic color responses showed limited associations with cognitive indices, achromatic (C’) and diffuse shading (Y) responses were significantly linked to increased cognitive load, suggesting attentional disengagement and stress-related processing. Moreover, impaired response inhibition and attentional control correlated with ambiguous (Vg%) and inappropriate (INC) percepts, indicating maladaptive cognitive processing. Avoidance of positive stimuli in WFST also predicted aggressive response tendencies (AGC, AGM). These findings provide robust empirical support for the cognitive and neuropsychological foundations of Rorschach response mechanisms, contributing to its theoretical refinement and applied utility in psychological assessment.